'Lord, Hope & Power here I am' Tour 2009-10 Sister Pia Therese, Year-long tour for teens OCD, makes will make 13 stops solemn profession throughout diocese, as Carmelite, page 3. page 2. www.ErieRCD.org BI-WEEKLY NEWS BULLETIN OF THE DIOCESE OF ERIE March 29, 2009 Church Calendar Destruction of embryonic stem cells immoral, unnecessary Events of the local, American and universal church Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, On March 9, President Barack Obama signed an executive order Feast days overturning limits on federal funding of embryonic stem cell re- search. The opposition of the Catholic Church to this executive order has been widely misunderstood and misrepresented, and so I would like to present to the people of the Diocese of Erie a brief rationale for the position of the United States’ bishops. Let me be very clear about the fact that the Catholic Church strongly supports stem cell research when those stem cells are ob- tained through morally acceptable methods. Consequently, the Catholic Church strongly supports the use of adult stem cells and umbilical-cord-blood stem cells in research. These have been shown to offer tremendous promise toward producing cures for spinal cord injuries, corneal damage, heart disease, multiple sclerosis, sickle cell anemia and other diseases. There is no moral objection to this kind of St. Francis of Paola St. Isidore of Seville research and therapy when it is conducted with appropriate informed consent, since it involves no harm to human beings at any stage of development. Everyone can and should support it. April 2 St. Francis of Paola (friar, On the other hand, the Catholic Church strongly opposes embry- Resources: hermit, founder of Order of onic stem cell research because it encourages the destruction of in- “On Embryonic Stem-Cell Minims) nocent human life in its embryonic stage, treating vulnerable human Research: A Statement of the U.S. beings as mere products to be harvested. Furthermore, recent scientific Conference of Catholic Bishops” April 4 St. Isidore of Seville developments in adult stem cell research have rendered the scientific – a seven-page policy document (archbishop, scholar, patron of need to use embryonic stem cells increasingly obsolete. All human life is from the U.S. bishops the Internet) sacred, and it can never be an acceptable moral principle to treat human Cathedral to host life as a commercial product to be harvested for research. On the medical advances being April 5 Palm Sunday In short, the Catholic Church opposes using what we believe to be im- made with adult stem cells: Chrism Mass April 9 Holy Thursday moral scientific research which destroys human embryos, research which “Stem-Cell Research: Finding is increasingly becoming unnecessary in the first place, since results just Cures We Can All Live With” – a April 10 Good Friday as promising are likely to be obtained through morally acceptable means 16-minute DVD using stem cells obtained from adults and from umbilical cord blood. “Stem Cells and Hope for April 11 Holy Saturday Tax monies should be used to promote ethically sound research that all Patients,” a parish bulletin insert persons can support. part of the bishops’ annual April 12 Easter Sunday Respect Life observance Available on the U.S. bishops’ Web site at www.usccb.org/prolife/ Most Rev. Donald W. Trautman index.shtml. Confirmation Bishop of Erie Chrism oil is schedule Villa Maria wins state championship, used in baptismal anointing, confirmation, Sacred Heart, St. Kennedy Catholic falls in title game Marys priestly and – Saturday, episcopal March 28 at 10:30 a.m. ordinations St. Mary, St. Marys and during the dedication of – Saturday, March 28 churches. The at 1:30 p.m. Confirmation classes include St. other holy oils Mary and Queen of the World, St. Marys. are used in the St. James, Erie anointing of – Thursday, April 2 at 7 the sick and for p.m. Confirmation classes include St. James, catechumens. Erie, and Mount Calvary, Erie. Our Lady of Mount Carmel, Erie – Fri- day, April 3 at 7:30 p.m. ERIE — The Chrism Mass, Donald Trautman will bless the one of the most solemn and sig- oil of catechumens (used for St. George, Erie – Saturday, April 4 at nificant liturgies on the church adult catechumens and infants) 10:30 a.m. calendar, will be celebrated on and the oil of the sick (used in Monday, April 6 at 5 p.m. at St. anointing the sick) and conse- Peter Cathedral in Erie. crate the oil of chrism (used for During the annual Mass, the sacraments of baptism, con- Lent the local bishop will bless the firmation and the ordination of For a printable Lenten calendar, visit the Erie sacred oils used for celebrating priests and for the consecration Diocese’s official Web site at www.ErieRCD.org. the sacraments throughout the of altars). Sponsored by Catholic Charities’ Office of Parish diocese for the entire year. They Many of the priests of the Social Ministry/Respect Life, the calendar provides are then brought to each parish. diocese will gather to concel- a Scripture verse, reflection and activity suggestion The Villa Maria Academy Lady Victors Since the beginning of the year, Villa Maria Also, each priest in the dio- ebrate Mass with the bishop. for each day of Lent. beat three-time defending champion York was ranked No. 1 in the state. cese is invited to attend to re- The emphasis at this Mass is The official Lenten regulations from Bishop Catholic High School 56-51 in the PIAA The Kennedy Catholic High School new his commitment of service on the sacramental ministry of Donald Trautman are available on the Web site, as Class AA state championship girls’ basket- Golden Eagles fell to Girard College 80-70 and to receive the support and the priesthood and of “the com- well. ball game March 20 at Bryce Jordan Cen- in the PIAA Class A state championship prayers of the people. munion of the priests with their ter in State College. It is the first state title boys’ basketball game March 20, also held The public is also invited to bishop in the same priesthood is Villa Maria’s history. The Lady Victors in State College. Kennedy Catholic finished attend. and ministry of Christ.” (Pas- finished the season with a record of 27-3. the season 26-3. During the Mass, Bishop chales Solemnitatis, 35). In letter, pope responds to criticisms over Lefebvrite decision the way to dialogue with the society. pay greater attention to that source of By John Thavis But when Bishop Williamson’s news,” he said. Catholic News Service comments about the Holocaust were Pope Benedict said he deeply re- circulated, “it suddenly appeared as gretted another mistake: that the lift- VATICAN CITY — In a letter to something completely different: as the ing of the excommunications was not the world’s bishops, Pope Benedict repudiation of reconciliation between adequately explained and gave rise to XVI expressed regret that his lifting Christians and Jews, and thus as the misinterpretations about the tradition- of the excommunications of four tra- reversal of what the (Second Vatican) alist society’s status in the church. ditionalist bishops gave rise to a storm Council had laid down in this regard He emphasized that the removal of of protests and bitterness. to guide the church’s path,” he said. the excommunications was a disciplin- The pope said the controversy over As a result, he said, “an avalanche ary measure that affects individuals. Bishop Richard Williamson’s state- of protests was unleashed, whose bit- But the fact that the Society of St. Pius Clergy ments denying the extent of the Holo- terness laid bare wounds deeper than X has no standing in the church de- caust was “an unforeseen mishap” — those of the present moment.” pends on doctrinal reasons, he said. appointments one that could have been anticipated, “I was saddened by the fact that He underlined what Vatican offi- however, by paying more attention to even Catholics, who, after all, might cials have said in recent weeks, that for Father Jason Glover, appointed campus min- information easily available on the In- have had a better knowledge of the the Society of St. Pius X full commu- ister at Edinboro University for a term of two ternet. situation, thought they had to attack nion implies acceptance of Vatican II. years, in addition to primary assignment at The pope said he was particularly In a letter to the world’s bishops, me with open hostility,” he said. The pope also asked whether the Gannon University. Effective March 10, 2009. saddened at the reaction of some Pope Benedict XVI said he felt deep “Precisely for this reason I thank church could be totally indifferent Catholics who seemed willing to be- pain over the “hostility and hate” all the more our Jewish friends, who about a traditionalist society that has Deacon John Mang, appointed deacon assistant lieve he was changing direction on some Catholics directed at him after quickly helped to clear up the misun- 491 priests, 215 seminarians, six semi- at Our Lady of Peace Parish, Erie, for a term Catholic-Jewish relations and were he allowed four traditionalist bish- derstanding and to restore the atmo- naries, 88 schools, two university-level of six years. Effective April 5, 2009. Also ap- ready to “attack me with open hostil- ops, including a Holocaust denier, sphere of friendship and trust,” he institutes, 117 religious brothers, 164 pointed, along with wife Tammie, coordinator ity.” He thanked “our Jewish friends” back into the church. said. religious sisters and thousands of lay of Engagement Encounter for the diocese for a who helped clarify the matter and re- The pope acknowledged something faithful.